Friday, August 31, 2018

Healthier Blueberry Muffins


A couple of months ago, I tried out a no-sugar, no-white flour, no-dairy diet. It was tough, but once I found a few new recipes, it became doable. These spelt flour muffins are sweetened with real maple syrup and honey, and they don't have any dairy or eggs. They're still completely delicious!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
2 cups spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers.

Mix wet ingredients together and then stir in the dry ingredients. Add blueberries.

Divide into the 12 cups and bake for 25 minutes, or until they're golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. 


Sidenote: For me, spelt flour wasn't easy to find. I bought it from Whole Foods. I would assume that any kind of flour (whole wheat, all-purpose, almond) would work in this recipe, should you be willing to test that out :)

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Catching up


I want to share the last few photos I took before we moved houses. Even though we love our new home, there are things that I definitely miss about the old one. We made some great memories there!


One morning, I came out of the kitchen to find August laying down next to the baby :)


We have become big Cubs fans around here! Nolan is always wearing this hat.


My favorite four-year-old and me. Ephraim is wishing to be five already (to catch up to Nolan), but I love him at this age!


We found a little bench alongside one of the ponds in our neighborhood. . . a great spot to watch the ducks and geese!


Every night on our walk, the boys insisted we had to stop at the playground when we walked past it. Who can resist the big twirly slides?


Nolan and Ephraim had their team soccer photos taken after a hot and sweaty Monday night practice. We were walking back to the car, and I didn't even ask them to hold hands :)


August is aways playing with my hair when he's tired. . . it's the sweetest thing.


Nolan is constantly creating and building and using his imagination. What I would give for half of this boy's energy and enthusiasm!


In the old house, I loved Nolan's and Ephraim's bedroom. They shared the master suite with its own sunroom, walk-in closet and bathroom. Needless to say, they do not have a room this big now, but it was nice while it lasted!


August has learned to love the pool. I wish it could stay summer!


These little fishies always swim away from me when I say it's time to leave.


Here are the cutest cousins in stairstep pattern! We were living about 15-20 minutes from them, but now we live about 3 minutes away, and we are so happy about that!


August found a tiny spot to sit on the front porch. He has a way of always making me smile, even when I'm trying to scold him.

I'll be back with more updates soon!


xo
Rachel

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Snapshots


I really should be packing right now, but I wanted to type out a quick post about the past couple of weeks. We're still very much enjoying our summer, and we're moving to our new house this weekend! It's a little daunting to think of all that needs to get done in the next few days. Steve has been fixing up the new house til the wee hours of the morning every night this week. He is the hardest worker I know! Things are coming together, and I'm storing up "before" pictures so someday I can share all the "afters"!

Rewinding back to Steve's birthday:


Nolan and Ephraim chose the dessert they wanted to make for his birthday - S'mores Pie from Mix and Match Mama's "Kids in the Kitchen" cookbook. Nolan has been carrying the cookbook around the house with him for weeks, telling me everything he wants to make in it (all desserts, no real food)!


Steve and his three minis. He had to teach night class on his birthday, so we didn't get to do anything super special, but it was a good day.


Helping Daddy blow out the candles. August was so excited to see the pie!


I caught a beautiful pink sunset one night when I was watering my garden. It's always such an amazing reminder of God's presence.


Out for a walk . . . August was reclined and super relaxed :)


The afternoons are usually pretty hot, and we don't have shade in our yard, so we can't wait to go outside in the evenings and walk around the neighborhood.


This is our container garden, though some of them (the tomatoes) have grown quite a bit since I took this photo. Next step - taking them in the car with me to the new house!


Nothing better than fresh corn, grown less than a mile away!


Ephraim started soccer for the first time! He is so excited! Uncle Phil is his coach, and his cousin Michaela is on his team.


Nolan started his 3rd season of soccer. He didn't know anyone on his team, but he seems to be doing well!


Sometimes blankets make the best toys.


We're on the hunt for the best donuts in the area. These square ones were pretty good!


August is getting into trains!


Blueberry muffins - a summer must.


The boys made these drawings for me on the day Ivy passed away. I wrote a whole post about her here, if you're interested.


We've had four caterpillars turn into four butterflies in our kitchen! Aren't the chrysalises so beautiful??!


He pushed up a chair to the sink so he could do some dishes!


I couldn't get them all to smile, but I love how this photo turned out. :)


I'm going to do a whole post on the butterflies when I get a chance. It has been an amazing experience!


19 months and full of energy and stubbornness and joy!


Hanging out at the pool. I love that little juice-box-drinking face!


A big bouquet of Queen Anne's Lace, picked from the side of the road, and a clean kitchen!


At the end of July, Ephraim turned four-and-a-half now! I put a candle in a pudding cup, and we sang to him, and he thought it was the best day ever!

Happy weekending! Happy moving to us!



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